Grants talk:Project/Rapid/ML Wikipedia/WikiSangamotsavam 2016-Mini Wikisangamotsavam

Hi Anilankv. Thank you for submitting the grant request. We understand this type of meeting has been important for the development of your community and we are happy to support this year's "Mini Event." We have a few questions below:

1. Since you were originally planning a much larger conference, please let us know how you have decided to scale down and focus on certain topic areas.
2. Will you still be planning a larger event in the coming months? If yes, how will this smaller one feed into the larger meeting and why is it important to have this mini event now?
3. Please provide more details regarding the backwater journey as it is 1/4 of the total budget. We know what it is, but how is it relevant to the meeting?

Thanks, Alex Wang (WMF) (talk) 20:35, 5 December 2016 (UTC)

Hi Alex Wang,

Our reply to your questions are given below.

1. Our community had decided earlier to conduct a bigger event with active participation from neighborhood community such as Tamil, Kannada and Tulu. We have formed an organizing committee for the same with good local representation from various social sectors. We have also held a series of campaign program for the event in Kasargod district. Many new faces are introduced to the Wikipedia. These programs encouraged a number of new comers to the community, especially from educational sectors 0knowledge freedom activists, progressive social organizations etc. They were much enthused with the WikiSangamothsavam planned in the last week of December. Meanwhile, demonetization process initiated by the Indian govt caused much havoc in our social milieu. The financial mobilization for a bigger event is not possible at this juncture. By the time it was already late to approach to WMF for the funding for a big event. However, we felt that canceling the event shall give some discouraging signal to the newcomers to the Malayalam Wikipedia community, who were mobilized recently through outreach programs of the planned event. To avoid such a situation we have decided to scale down the event.
2. This mini meet have its on targeted object and initiated much before demonetization process. More content shall be created in Wikipedia through a set of edit-a-thons especially about. Kasargod district. (Kasargod is a district with around 1.6 million population and wide cultural diversity. There are 7 major languages spoken in this relatively small area.). Getting more active Wikipedia contributors from this area is of much significant for Malayalam Wiki Community. So conducting this event is essential to sustain the enthusiasm created in a set of people through various out reach program of planned event. We are thinking of conducting a bigger event in April or May 2017. However, some active members suggested to have such a event during Pooja holidays in September / October. We have not decided yet on the date. Wa are exploring the possibility of conduction it as a joint event of Malayalam and Tulu Wikipedia community. The major section of Tulu speaking people are residing in Kasargod district.
3. The backwater journey is planned as a study tour and photo voyage, through which a a good number of photos of coastal area of Kasargod district shall be contributed to Wikipedia. The journey is planned with a big houseboat equipped with resource person with good local knowledge as a guide. The journey will last for more than 8 hours and shall cover a total distance of 30 kms. It starts from Nileshawaram and travel up to the north bank of Ezhimala. The route through which the journey takes place is not much explored to Wikipedia, so the contents including photos generated through this journey is of much important. This journey shall create a good ambiance for smooth and effective interaction between expert Wikipedians and new comers to the community.

--Anilankv (talk) 05:02, 6 December 2016 (UTC)